Collingwood Health Group
Hawkeys Lane, North Shields, Tyne And Wear, NE29 0SFContact details and opening times
Patient ratings and reviews
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Reviews
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Review titled Repeat prescriptions
Rated 3 stars out of 5
by Stanley Thackstone - Posted on 28 August 2023
The ending of the phone service fo ordering repeat prescriptions is ridiculous nk thought for elderly,infirm or people with no internet access. I downloaded the NHS app and took 3 attempts for it to confirm my identity. I opened the app and find Collingwood group isnt linked with it,and i need a letter of registration to get the link. Why the fixation of everything on-line?
Visited August 2023
Review titled Collingwood Health Group
Replied on 29 August 2023
Dear Mr Thackstone Many thanks for taking the time to leave a review. I am sorry you are unhappy at our change in service for the ordering of repeat medication. We do have plans in place to assist those patients who are vulnerable or don't have access to any internet etc and have requested for those patients to contact us directly so that we can identify the most appropriate method for them on an individual basis. I am also sorry to hear that you have had difficulties with the NHS app and have requested that a member of our IT contact you to see if they can help with this. Thank you once again for taking the time to leave a review. Regards, Sandra Dowling Practice Manager
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Review titled A year later and still can't get through on phone
Rated 1 star out of 5
by Anonymous - Posted on 04 August 2023
The phone system at this surgery has not improved despite promises that investment last year was taking place. My mother phoned yesterday at 4.45pm, told she was the 46th person in the queue. She waited until 6.05pm at which point the call was cut off as the surgery was now closed. What a way to treat someone??? It is appalling to cut someone off who has waited over an hour in your phone queue with an obvious genuine need to speak with a medical professional. Your surgery is actually making patients call up the 111 / 999 lines because they have no other choice. We are out of covid restrictions. We should be allowed to easily book in with a GP. Using your online econsult service is equally as rubbish. Being allocated a phone consultation 2 weeks after reporting the problem online is unacceptable. What exactly do we have to do to see someone at the surgery? How you have received a good rating from CQC is beyond me as you are causing safeguarding concerns for all of your poor patients who only want to receive a simple service.
Visited August 2023
Review titled Collingwood Health Group
Replied on 07 August 2023
Dear Anonymous Thank you for taking the time to leave a review. I am sorry to hear that your mother obtained some difficulties contacting us by telephone. Unfortunately anonymous reviews do not provide us with sufficient information in order to offer a specific response tailored to the exact call in question. However, we are aware that our telephone system is outdated and unable to meet the current demands of our patient population. There is on-going work in the background in relation to the sourcing of a new telephone system. I am equally sorry to hear that your mother has found the econsult service rubbish. Many compliments have been received from patients who have used the E-consult service. If you would like us to investigate your specific concerns please contact us and we would be happy to do to. Thank you once again for taking the time to leave a review. Regards Sandra Dowling Practice Manager
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Review titled Unhelpful reception
Rated 2 stars out of 5
by Anonymous - Posted on 12 July 2023
Was in queue and a patient prompted to go to another receptionist. This one however wS on phone so stayed still the receptionist said then y can go over there aswell abruptly, I said again "she is on the phone to a patient". Was I really going to interrupt a confidential phone call , nope . When at front I asked for a female doctor .Was told this one is leaving. So I asked Was there another female gpshe could suggest only to be told don't know I'm not at this surgery. Very compassionate, not !. Anyway managed to get appointment. Then I asked for my sons excema cream .Expired can't prescribe. But you can buy it in a pharmacy. So abrupt. Asked for telephone appointment just for repeat prescription. No can't do that either . So now waiting 2 weeks no cream left . Collingwood surgery your rapidly going downhill .
Visited July 2023
Review titled Collingwood Health Group
Replied on 17 July 2023
Dear Anonymous Many thanks for taking the time to leave a review. I am sorry to hear you have had a less than satisfactory experience. Unfortunately anonymous reviews don't provide us with sufficient information to investigate the matter fully and take the appropriate action if any is required. We would therefore be most grateful if you could be kind enough to contact us direct whereby we will initiate a full investigation into your comments. We look forward to hearing from you. Many thank once again for taking the time to leave a review Regards Sandra Dowling Practice Manager
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Review titled Lacking
Rated 1 star out of 5
by Anonymous - Posted on 27 June 2023
Ring up and I guarantee you'll be position 49 in the queue. Wait if you want but that'll be 2 hours of your life you won't get back and don't try call back, that never works either. Repeat prescriptions ordered and declined by the GP, no phone call or explanation why. Hours on the phone to be told it was probably just a mistake!! Sadly this mistake leads to several days without medication. Call to make a regular check up appointment for a long term health condition. After waiting 2 hours told by reception they cant makes those appointments and they'll pass a message on. 5 weeks this game went on for and multiple calls made and nobody ever called back. Why not just give the number out because this 'pass a message on' clearly doesn't work. A phlebotomist who doesn't take enough blood for tests to be carried out so that's another appointment. It's sad but I avoid any interaction as much as I can as I'm sure many do. If I'm ill to be honest this is the last place I would turn to. What happened to caring for patients and taking an interest, it's been replaced by commercial goals and growing 'the group'. Contact us on the website is the telephone number only, yep the 2 hour one. Why not engage with your patients more, even a web form for suggestions maybe. How about a patients forum made up of staff, GPs and patients because any feedback falls on deaf ears at the moment. Cue the practice manager who will no doubt defend these points. Does she really exist?!?
Visited June 2023
Review titled Collingwood Health Group
Replied on 28 June 2023
Dear Anonymous Many thanks for taking time to leave a review. I am sorry to hear of the difficulties you have encountered. We are aware of the issues with regards to our telephone system and are currently in the process of discussing a change of telephone system and provider and we anticipate that this will be changed later in the year. I am sorry to hear that the GP declined your medication request and you were not informed of this, unfortunately anonymous reviews don't provide us with sufficient information to investigate further. I can confirm that the practice has an active patient reference group with regular meetings taking place. If you would like us to investigate your concern further please discuss this with any member of the team and we would be happy to do so. Once again, thank you for taking the time to leave a review and I am sorry your experience of our services were less than satisfactory. Regards Sandra Dowling Practice Manager
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Review titled Disappointing
Rated 3 stars out of 5
by Anonymous - Posted on 10 April 2023
I phoned to see if I could get an appointment for my 8 year old as he had been unwell for 4 days. After a considerable wait for a call back, The receptionist couldn’t have been more unhelpful. Told me the next appointment I could book for my son was in 8 days. End of conversation. My issue wasn’t this- although obviously quite a shock to have to wait so long, my issue was with the lack of alternatives. She offered no other options of what to do- I had to keep probing about what I could do to have him seen by a doctor. To be kind I would say she was apathetic, disinterested, or even annoyed I was asking. Surely it’s not difficult for the first person of contact for the surgery to have a level of customer care which would at least demonstrate some form of caring and understanding. It would have taken all of 30 seconds to outline what I could do to get some help. We so rarely contact the surgery, I was left upset and confused about how I get help for a sick child knowing he wasn’t at the stage of needing to go to hospital but needing to get some help to clear up his strep throat. I can’t comment on the doctors - I have always had a good experience in the past when I have visited - it’s the front of house I have the issue with. A bad experience with the first point of contact leaves a bad taste in the mouth. So much so I was compelled to leave this review. I do understand staff are under pressure and under resourced but I would implore the surgery to give proper training to their reception staff and to offer useful practical advice when people phone for help.
Visited April 2023
Review titled Collingwood Health Group
Replied on 11 April 2023
Dear Patient Thank you for taking the time to leave a review. I am so sorry to hear that your experience of our practice has been less than satisfactory. Unfortunately anonymous feedback does not provide us with sufficient information to enable us to fully investigate the matter further. We are keen to use patient experience to help us improve our services and we would be happy to investigate the matter further, if you could be kind enough to contact us direct. Once again, many thanks for taking the time to leave a review. Regards Sandra Dowling Practice Manager
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Review titled Bad Receptionist
Rated 1 star out of 5
by Kevin Stephenson - Posted on 20 March 2023
I came for app 20 March only to be told it was on 28th March Receptionist said more than once it was 20th Receptionist also said I should go to pharmisy after I told her I had a cough for 2 or 3 month often sever coughing throughout the night and day I had to insist on seeing a doctor Receptionists should not make over the phone diagnosis
Visited March 2023
Review titled Collingwood Health Group
Replied on 11 April 2023
Dear Kevin Many thanks for taking the time to leave a review. I am sorry you felt you have received a less than satisfactory experience. Some of the reception team have undergone additional training and can help to navigate the patient to alternative services such as the pharmacy. I am sorry if you felt that they were offering a diagnosis. Some patients have found the use of the NHS app extremely useful in ordering medication and booking appointments on line, saving the need to contact the practice by telephone. Once again, I am sorry that you felt your experience of our services to be less than satisfactory and would like to thank you for taking the time to leave your review. Many thanks regards Sandra Dowling Practice Manager
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Review titled Impossible to get help, to the point of being dangerous
Rated 1 star out of 5
by Ruth davidson - Posted on 31 March 2023
Impossible to get help, to the point of being dangerous. I've had a strep a infection for over 3 weeks. I have never been seen by a gp from the surgery, nor would they even speak to me over the phone initially after I'd waited from 47th in the queue to get through. I had to go and buy my own strep a test from a pharmacy and take it to the walk in centre to get treatment. After those antibiotics failed, I again waited on the phone for over an hour to speak to Collingwood, who again refused to see me as I apparently couldn't possibly still have strep. Again I was forced to buy my own Strep a test and called back (yup another hours wait) with the proof I was still positive for strep a. Finally got a doctor callback, from someone who was on the phone to me for less than 2 minutes, refused to let me ask any questions but did send me off with more antibiotics. My third lot of antibiotics are not working. I have severe pain in my joints, chest pain, a very high temp, tonsillitis and difficulty swallowing. I have been off work for nearly a month. Today I contacted the surgery yet again to try and get some help for this horrible infection and excruciating pain that has me bedridden. They have just sent me a message to say that an appointment has been made for me at the hub in 9 days time. Nine! How can someone with a known infection that is not responding to antibiotics, in excruciating pain, and experiencing chest pain & breathlessness (I'm asthmatic) be left for 9 days with no help? Im now forced to go to a walk in centre or a & e, if I want to get any help. Neither of which I can do, because I can barely walk, and I need to be at home to look after my daughter, who unsurprisingly is also now sick after catching strep a off me. No wonder emergency department's and walk in centres are so under pressure, when it's impossible to get anywhere with your own surgery
Visited March 2023
Review titled Collingwood Health Group
Replied on 11 April 2023
Dear Ruth Many thanks for taking the time to leave a review. I am sorry to hear of the difficulties you have encountered. I have shared your comments with the GPs. Unfortunately due to confidentiality we are unable to comment via this method but if you would like us to investigate the matter further please let us know. Once again, we are grateful for you taking the time to leave a review. Many thanks regards Sandra Dowling Practice Manager
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Review titled Still waiting for call back
Rated 3 stars out of 5
by Anonymous - Posted on 09 January 2023
I called surgery this morning, just before 9 o clock, rang 5 times to say I was in a queue and then no sound. Eventually got through and I was no 46 in queue, and decided to Press 5 for call back. It is now 17:15 and still waiting. I did call again approx 3:15 to be told same in a queue and to press for call back, still waiting. The message says you will be called back when you’re at the front of the queue, must be a very long queue!!
Visited January 2023
Review titled Collingwood Health Group
Replied on 11 April 2023
Dear Anonymous Many thanks for taking the time to leave a review. I have recently commenced at the practice and realised there were a cohort of reviews not responded to so please accept our apologies. I am sorry to hear of your less than satisfactory experience when contacting the practice. I am aware that the practice has encountered some challenges with the current telephone system and has been restricted by the limitations of the system and current contractual requirements. The practice is looking to replace the telephone system to a cloud based system later this year. This will allow us to monitor our inbound calls more effectively and we are hopeful the system will have a more reliable Q busting facility. Some patients have found the NHS app to be of benefit when ordering medication or booking appointments, therefore reducing the need to telephone the practice. Once again, we are grateful for your time in leaving a review and apologise for the delay in responding. regards Sandra Dowling Practice Manager
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Review titled Great service
Rated 5 stars out of 5
by Sally Booth - Posted on 17 October 2022
I needed a same day appointment for my two year old grandson, I went to the surgery for 8.30am and the receptionist was absolutely brilliant - professional, polite, good natured and friendly. Doctors receptionists do often get a bad press but I was very impressed. Thank you
Visited October 2022
Review titled Collingwood Health Group
Replied on 11 April 2023
Dear Sally Many thanks for taking the time to leave a review, and I am sorry this was not responded to earlier. I am delighted to hear of your positive experience of our service. Once again, thank you for taking the time to share this. regards Sandra Dowling Practice Manager
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Review titled Phone call
Rated 1 star out of 5
by Bigbas - Posted on 12 August 2022
I got a message to call the surgery on Friday I started my phone call at 17.00 by 17.25 I was number 4 in the queue at 18.10 the message then told me that the surgery was now closed is this the standard for the practice???
Visited August 2022
Review titled Collingwood Health Group
Replied on 11 April 2023
Dear Bigbas Many thanks for taking the time to leave a review. I have recently commenced at the practice and noticed that a cohort of reviews have not been responded to, so please accept our apologies. I am sorry to hear that your encounter with the practice was less than satisfactory. I am aware that the practice has had some challenges with the current telephone system and have encountered some restrictions due to its limitations. Due to contractual requirements the practice has been unable to source another system at the current time but we are hopeful that this will change around autumn time this year. Please once again our apologies for the delay in responding and thank you for taking the time to leave a review. Regards Sandra Dowling Practice Manager